Moistening device



H. B. WILKISON 2,020,490

MOISTENING DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l I nventor Nov. 12, 1935.

Nov. 12, 1935. H. B. WILKISON MOISTENING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1934 Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STAT ES.

PATENT OFFIC 2.020.490. ,MOISTENING DEVICE Herbert B. Wilkison, Berger, Tex.

Application December 4, 193.4, Serial No. 755,981

3 Claims. (ali i-es):

This invention relates to moisteningdevices. One of the objects of the invention isto provide a moistening device particularly adaptable for moistening stacked strips wherein-the wick is combined with a follower plate which serves to maintain the stacked strips in a neat pack.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of a device of the character referred to that is strong compact and durable, very efficient in operation, that is particularly easy to assemble and disassemble to replenish the strips, that'is very simple in operation and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed the preferred embodiment of the 2O invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device in accordance with the present invention showing a stack of strips associated therewith,

30 Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device in ac- 35 cordance with the present invention showing the guide member in open position and the hinged section of the cover in open position,

Fig. 5 is a transverse, detailed vertical section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

40 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the combined wick holder and follower plate with the wick removed therefrom,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the combined follower plate and wick holder 45 showing the wick attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings in detail, In indicates a substantially rectangular tank which constitutes the water chamber of the device. Over the top of the tank is a sectional cover, one

50 of the sections II being. fixed to the top of the tank while the other section I2 is pivoted as at I3 on its inner end to the upper portion of the tank. The hinged cover I2 closes the opening in the top of the tank by which the tank is filled 55 with water. In closed position, the two sections of the cover form a flat support to receive the stack I3 of strips.

The device of the present invention is illustrated in. association with the stack of strips l3, each strip of which'is formed with a gummed 5 tab I4 on the inner ends thereof. These strips are particularly used in laundries, where the strip is folded around a shirt and the gummed tab secured to the free end of the strip to-form a band. Although the device is shown illustrated m with such strip, it is to be understood that the device may be used for many purposes where moisture is to be supplied.

In the closed end of the tank are a pair of sockets I5 which are secured at their upper ends to the fixed cover II and at their lower ends to the bottom Ina of the tank I0, there being apertures in the cover registering with the openings in the sockets. The chamber I5a of the sockets tapers downwardly. A flat follower plate I6 is disposed transversely across the stackof bands I3 and also across the major portion of the fixed cover II. The crown portion ll of a substantially U-shaped felt wick member is secured to the lower face of the follower plate I6 5 by a pair of a anchoring pins I8 carried by the plate. The depending portions of the pins I8 are embedded in the opposite legs I9 of the wick and form stiffening elements as well as anchoring elements. Adjacent the ends of the combined follower plate and wick holder I6 are the elongated slots 20 in which slides the reduced neck 2| of the guide posts 22. The upper ends of the guide posts are flattened into caps 23 to prevent the posts from slipping out of the slots 20. These posts are free to move in the slots 20 in a horizontal direction. The guide posts 22 taper downwardly and fit movably in the sockets I5 and the combined follower plate IS with the wick'secured thereto may be completely 40 removed from the fixed cover. In the fixed cover II' are a pair of apertures 24 through which the legs I9 of the wick extend and the free ends of the legs extend into the water 25 in the tank.

To one end of the tank III is connected the guide member A which includes a fiat top 26, side flanges 21, the lower edges of which rest on the fixed cover II, and a rear wall 28. The top, side flanges and rear wall are preferably formed integral with one another. On the side flanges 21 are a pair of outset ears 29 pivoted as at 30to the flanges of the fixed cover II adjacent the end of the tank. The end of the guide member A opposed to rear wall 28 is open as at 3|.

In open position, the guide member A substantially encloses the one end of the stack of strips l3 and also encloses the combined follower plate l6. When the strips are resting on the sectional cover as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the ends of the stacked strips bear evenly against the rear wall 28 of the guide member A and maintain the strips of the stack in alignment. It will also be noticed that the weight of the combined follower plate and wick holder I Shears on the stack and cooperates to hold the stack of strips in alignment. The substantially U-shaped wick straddles the area of fixed cover H on which the strips are stacked with the crown portion I! supplying moisture to the gummed tabs l4 as the single strips'are withdrawn. The entire tank, the guide mem-' her and all parts of the invention are preferably formed of non-corrosive metal such as copper so as to withstand water without deteriorations.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1. A moistening device comprising a tank including a cover and constituting a water chamber, a moistening wick straddling a certain area of the cover and having a portion thereof extending through the cover into the water chamber, said wick movable with respect to the cover and adapted to embrace a stack of strips, having gummed tabs, a follower plate movably supported by the cover and the portion of the wick straddling the cover attached to the follower plate.

2. A moistening device comprising a tank including a cover and constituting a water chamber, a moistening wick straddling a certain area 5 of the cover and having a portion thereof extending through the cover into the water chamber, said wick movable with respect to the cover and adapted to embrace a stack of strips, having gummed tabs, a follower plate movably supl0 ported by the cover and the portion of the wick straddling the cover attached to the follower plate, and a guide member hinged to one end of the tank for retaining the aforesaid stack of strips in aligned relation.

3. A moistening device comprising a tank including a sectional apertured cover and constituting a water chamber, one of said sections pivoted to the tank to form a filling opening, a combined follower plate and wick holder carrying movable guide posts at the ends thereof depending into certain of the apertures in the cover, a substantially U-shapedwick having the crown portion secured to an intermediate portion of the plate and the legs thereof extending into apertures of the cover plate, said moistening wick adapted to straddle a stack of strips formed with gummed tabs, that rest on the cover, and a guide member hinged to the tank for retaining the aforesaid stack of strips in aligned relation.

a HERBERT B. WILKISON. 

